Mainly Clothes is a consignment clothing store in North Bay. The success of the store can be attributed to not only its quality products, but also its good customer service and friendly environment. Jennifer Vachon works at Mainly Clothes and contributes to the store’s success.

Jennifer, who has Treacher Collins Syndrome was hired by Mainly Clothes through Yes! Employment Services, an Ontario Disability Support Program Employment Supports provider.
Employment supports can help eligible individuals get ready for work and find a job or help with starting their own business.

“As an organization, we welcome people to come in and explore what their options are. We sit down with people like Jennifer and go through a list of what they’re interested in doing,” says Macrina Perron, Jennifer’s Employment Counsellor at Yes!

Yes! also assists clients with job coaching and will help employers and employees become comfortable with everyone’s needs.

“We assist [employers] in providing any accommodations that may need to be made,” says Macrina.

Macrina contacted the owner of Mainly Clothes, Roseanne Boissoneault, to see if she would be interested to provide a 12 week training placement for Jennifer.

“She came in, we clicked, and within weeks she was doing the same work as the rest of the staff. She progressed fast,” Rosanne said.

Yes! assisted Rosanne with training Jennifer and helped to provide a temporary subsidy to ease the transition from new employee to fully trained staff member.

“We got a lot more than that subsidized wage,” commented Rosanne.

Jennifer has been working at Mainly Clothes for the past three years and especially likes working as a cashier, “I like talking to people,” she says. Jennifer’s other job responsibilities include sorting, tagging, putting clothes out on the floor and assisting customers.

Rosanne says she got more than she expected when she hired Jennifer.

“I thought I’d be helping Jennifer, but she is the one who helps us … she shows us how to be calm, how to simplify things, she helps me with the business.”

In turn, working at Mainly Clothes has helped Jennifer.

“The skills gained with Rosanne here [at Mainly Clothes] take you to the next level in life, and I think that’s special,” says Macrina.